Glenn Hughes ‘Comfortable and Resting’ After Being Assisted by Paramedics at New Zealand Concert [Update]

UPDATE: Since this story broke, Glenn Hughes has tweeted a video explaining he was dehydrated at the Christchurch, New Zealand concert that was cut short. The tweet can be seen at the bottom of the page.

For the first time in 40 years, Glenn Hughes is performing full sets of classic Deep Purple material, mainly focusing on his time spent as part of the band's MKIII and MVIV lineup. The tour began in Australia and New Zealand and reports have indicated that the "Voice of Rock" as he is known to his fans, has taken ill in Christchurch, New Zealand during his Tuesday night (Sept. 26) performance, cutting the set short.

According to Stuff, Hughes was one hour and 45 minutes into his two hour set when paramedics assisted him and he was taken offstage at Horncastle Arena. An eyewitness report came in from concert attendee Nick King, who posted about the incident on Facebook (seen below). King stated that Hughes "appeared to have some sort of medical event" while performing the Come Taste the Band track "Gettin' Tighter," later commenting, "He was doing a widdly diddly bass thing then crouched down, looking like he was trying to fix a pedal but I don't think that's the reason he crouched. Then he waved his roadie over who assisted him offstage. Paramedics were there really quickly."

It was also reported by Stuff that Hughes' tour publicist, Sandra Roberts, told the concert promoter that the bassist / vocalist was "comfortable and resting," hopefully indicating that the medical event is nothing serious.

Hughes was a member of Deep Purple between from 1973 through 1976, sharing lead vocal duties with David Coverdale, also replacing Roger Glover on bass at the time. While he released Resonate, a solo record, last year and just released a new one, BCCIV, with Black Country Communion on Sept. 22, he embarked on a tour exclusively playing Deep Purple material, even peppering in a couple Ian Gillan-led tracks according to a set list from the tour kickoff on Sept. 20 in Sydney, Australia. Hughes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 as a member of Deep Purple.

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